Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-24

The violin master came, and the lesson gave me
intense pleasure. Ruth's accompaniment was
wiped and restored 10 IT. case, / begged her to
play Inc Something-any thlng-whateyer she
| loved best-Mendelss0hn for choice II she would y
One after another she played my bestowed old
friends, and turned impatiently when the foot
man opened the door and said, so gentleman had
called ter the young lady with Miss Grey"
my uncle" said Ruth apologetically
''Pray ask him TO come IN said, and the next
moment Mike stood once more before me- He
bowed little shyly, and i, with my back to the
window, stood spellbOund and silent.
les, 1t was Mike-huge, winsome Mike-and /
must greet him as best snght.
"Mr Vivian, faitered, IL had no idea IL was
you
Two huge strides brought him to my side.
'Hannah, ~ he shouted; Miss Grew Why. was
sent 10 Miss Sinclairs! Have l come to the
wrong houSe?"
The young people few to him open-mouthed
little. '
From time to time felt his eye upon me. and
grew tr1he not and angry under it. Why should
ne look AT me now In that way? He had been mar
ried Tor years, and 1-wen / had settled into NV
old maid ways-and l had ''got over it." as the
AS II we ever lost "the marks OF that which
once had BEEN
back at the door, and grasping nv hand tightly
SAID, why did you say mot at home nine long
81 didntr' exclaimed, Indignantly. IN stif1ed
voice, '.yOu never came"
Didn't II" he answered, and then he was gone.
mat night slept not at all. Backward aud
l?' Didn't T." Oh Nike, Oh. faiibfu,-hearted
Nike, have been wronging you all these years?
now 1t is too late.
Does she love you, l wonder as did-as do?
Coz hPlp me, must live IL down and crush il
uh9et loot, put Tor this one night will allow my
sen the JOY OF knowing that he did cone-he did
come; the rest cannot even guess at.
Happy, miserable, restless, and yet soothed, I
down TO nothing in the way of bnsfness The
plano stood wherel had been placed the day before
1or the girls ana alter many vain efforts to attend
properly TO writing which ought to have been
done, wandered up to IL and sat me down list
lessly, trying TO pick up the thread OF all that
cMlds sympathetic fingers had done such full
justice 10; and as played my heart grew lighter
and by degrees my Memberships moduated OF
lnto hghter music, and found myself beating
tiI once more with my foot to that Wadteuf
lei vaiSe which had been dearer to me than all
beside. How played! threw my heart my
whole heart into IT: and as 1 came to the final
chord suddenly flung my arms upon the desk
In 'front.' OF me and burst into such passion OF
weeping as had never in all my life given way
10. HOW long Wept do not know; but / know
tnal Ihen ana there prayed with all my might
for strength to root Out, for good and all. this
cruel, absorbing, disgracefu love and rising with
one last strangled sob and firm determination
that not another should escape me now or ever
again. saw the door open quietly, and In one
moment Mike had hold Of both my hands. In vain
tried TO pull them away. They were gently but
firmly gripped and his dear voice spoke rapidly in
agitated loving tones. 'p'"'' 49,
Don't speak, darling; know what you think
Let me speak first for the sake OF the dear old
times; Let me Clear up matters first. im not
the biackguard you think me-GOd forbid Sit
down and let me speak,
What could do but TO obey htmq SAT down
ana as he spoke my heart leaped and danced
Within me Till could have shouted for Joy, and
YET ielt ashamed OF my delight. For had he not
gone through deep waters. dear fellow? The poor
little frivolous childish wife had lived but one
year, but had wrought such havoc In that short
Tune that IL We're more charitable 10 tell nothing
OF IL to any who did not know the miserable story
already Peace be with her DOOR thing 7 need
think OF her no more
Then came The explanation Of our own mis-
fortunes. He had gone straight from my door the
previous evening down 10 the dear old home to see
my brother, and arrive at that explanation. Ii
was simple enough.
My good sister-in-law on that eventful morning
nine years before, had been frightened about one
OF her infants and had hidden the servants to ad-
init no one.
Hannah?' the butter had asked; and she In all
simplicity, poor soul, had said and believed Mi,s
Hannah VIII not wish % See any one either" and
so the answer had been given full in his face when
Mike had called.
Miss Hannah Grey not at home? You are sure9"
he had asked incre Iulously.
'Qu1te sure, sir; my hOrierS was that Miss Han
nah. pertickler, didn't wish to see no one who
might call. Mr. Grey, sir? Mr.. Grey is hout.'
The story had taken long to tell but hung
upon every word OF II, and as It came TO an end
the honest loving grey eyes looked fun In mine.
and my hands We're once more imprisoned .sYou
know my story now, my darling; If thought that
'tBess you! She won't mind" broke in upon us
in hoarsely confidential tones, and springing up
we faced round toward the window whence came
the startling sounds.
Mixes protecting arm was round me In an In
slant, and Polly, swinging Violently head down.
ward from tine ring inside his cage, shrieked
your"
ana this time didn't.-Nurray's Magazine.